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British Bookmakers Set to Make Record Contribution for Rights to Show Horse Racing
British bookmakers are on track to make a record contribution to horse racing next year – with the bill for media rights forecast to increase by nearly £30m.
The Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, Entain, Flutter, bet365, 888/William Hill and Betfred, expect to see a record cost increase to broadcast races.
In 2022, BGC members paid £270.1m for the rights to live stream races for customers and show them in bookmakers.
But that cost is forecast to rise to £285.3m this year, an increase of 5.6%, with members estimating a further increase to £315.2m in 2024, a further bump of 10.5%.
The combined increase for media rights costs is now expected to rise by 16.7% between 2022 and 2024.
The figures are based on data supplied by the Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, then adjusted to include smaller operators, who must also pay for media rights.
Michael Dugher, CEO of Betting and Gaming Council, said: “BGC members are already making a record contribution to horse racing and these figures show that is only going to increase.
“This comes despite a reduction in betting turnover on racing in the last five years and a worrying decline in participation in horse race betting overall.
“Horse racing remains a hugely important, world-leading sport, enjoyed by millions of fans and like the betting industry it continues to support large numbers of jobs.
“I know racing is trying to modernise and reach out to new fans, while also trying to bounce back from the Covid pandemic and deal with some difficult economic headwinds, plus deal with the hit on its funding caused by the Government. The betting industry is dealing with many of the same pressures on our revenues and costs.
“The BGC and our members remain fully committed to working together with the leadership of the sport, including the BHA and others, to ensure a better future for racing. But the fact that we are making a record and growing contribution to the sport cannot be ignored.”
The forecast costs come after the BGC announced their members directly contributed £384m to British horse racing last year in levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.
These figures showed an increase on previous estimates for the regulated sector’s contribution, which had placed it at around £350m a year.
In addition, bookmakers spent £125m on marketing to promote racing and betting through advertisements and partnerships, which helps secure vital terrestrial coverage of the sport and raise revenue for print newspaper titles.
As well as the increased costs for media rights, levy payments are projected to be £99m in 2022/2023, according to the Horserace Betting Levy Board.
This record investment also enabled horse racing to use some of these revenues to deliver record prize money of £179.3m in 2022.
Horse racing is the second biggest sport in the UK, second only to football, with more than five million people attending around 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.
However, its popularity is in decline. In 2007, 17% of the population participated in horse race betting in the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018.
Meanwhile football overtook horse racing betting around the same time between 2017/2018.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to reviewing the Horseracing Levy by next year.
The Horseracing Levy, which is administered by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, goes towards improving the sport, breeding and boosting veterinary care.
Betting operators are working closely with the British Horseracing Authority and racing stakeholders on much needed reforms to the fixture list and race programme which should increase commercial returns from the levy and media rights.
The regulated betting industry fully supports this once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise horse racing so it can realise its full commercial potential.
The BGC is also working closely with the government on the proposed reforms from the White Paper to ensure those who enjoy betting can continue to do so without unnecessary intrusion, while introducing improved safeguards for the minority who struggle.
Betting shops currently support around 42,000 jobs, contribute £1bn a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils.
The wider regulated betting and gaming industry contributes £7.1bn to the economy, generates £4.2bn in tax and supports 110,000 jobs.
In April DCMS unveiled the Government’s new White Paper on gambling reform, including a number of key measures the BGC had campaigned for.
Those included a new mandatory Ombudsman for the regulated sector, enhanced spending checks online and a new mandatory levy to fund research, education and treatment to tackle gambling related harm and problem gambling.
Each month in Great Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
Meanwhile the unsafe, unregulated gambling black market online is growing in the UK, with the numbers betting on these sites doubling in recent years, and the amount staked in the billions.
BetConstruct AI is proud to announce its participation in SiGMA Africa 2026, demonstrating its commitment to technological innovation and operator empowerment across the rapidly growing African iGaming market.
Visitors to Stand N 062 will experience BetConstruct AI’s full suite of AI-driven solutions, designed to optimize player engagement, automate operations, and deliver high-performance platforms tailored to Africa’s diverse regulatory and market requirements.
AI-Powered Platform Solutions
The showcase features BetConstruct AI’s industry-leading Sportsbook and Casino Platforms, engineered to handle high-volume traffic while maintaining stability and scalability for the continent’s expanding player base.
In addition to core betting infrastructure, BetConstruct AI provides tools for operator autonomy and efficiency:
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CMS Pro – A centralized content management hub streamlining business operations.
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SpringBuilder X – A mobile-first, SEO-driven drag-and-drop website builder with AI-assisted optimization for speed and simplicity.
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BetChain AI – Revolutionary AI-assisted design for iGaming websites, enabling partners to build and manage digital identities quickly and efficiently.
BetConstruct AI Suite: Enhancing Operator Performance
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CRM AI – Advanced behavioral analytics to boost player retention and loyalty.
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Umbrella AI – Real-time risk management and automated player protection.
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AI Game Recommendation System – Personalized content delivery to increase engagement across demographics.
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Betting Mate – AI companion providing real-time stats and insights to enhance the player experience.
The Choice to Grow Program
Operators can participate in “The Choice to Grow”, a performance-based initiative offering a 51% invoice discount every third month for achieving a 16.67% GGR increase per quarter across products including Sportsbook, Virtual Sports, and partner brands such as PopOK Gaming and CreedRoomz. Premium service benefits are included.
Harmony Dinner: Networking & Collaboration
On March 4, BetConstruct AI will host the Harmony Dinner at Cabo Beach, Cape Town, an exclusive event fostering collaboration among industry leaders, operators, and visionaries to discuss the future of gaming and shared growth opportunities.
Visit Stand N 062
BetConstruct AI invites industry stakeholders, operators, and media to explore its AI-driven ecosystem, demonstrating how connected technology enables operational efficiency, innovation, and market leadership in Africa.
The post BetConstruct AI Set to Transform the African iGaming Frontier at SiGMA Africa 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
B2Tech
B2Tech to Present at SiGMA Africa 2026 in Cape Town, Showcasing Its Integrated Betting Ecosystem
B2Tech will present at SiGMA Africa 2026, highlighting its omni-channel platform technology and continued growth across regulated African jurisdictions. The company’s participation underscores its focus on delivering a unified framework connecting core platform infrastructure, operator brands, marketing services, and embedded payments.
SiGMA Africa brings together iGaming and digital entertainment stakeholders, including licensed operators, affiliates, regulators, investors, and suppliers. With African regulation evolving rapidly, the summit will explore compliance, licensing, market entry strategies, and financial solutions.
Integrated Platform Solutions
B2Tech designs best-in-class sportsbook and casino platform technology, optimized for mobile-first deployment and regulated markets. The platform includes:
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Localization features: multi-currency support and compliance aligned with market-by-market obligations
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Operational tools: risk management, performance analytics, and regulatory adherence
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Scalable infrastructure: supporting efficient and consistent operations across multiple jurisdictions
B2Tech powers numerous licensed sportsbook and iGaming operations across Africa, combining global technology standards with local operational expertise. The company enables operators to adapt to evolving regulations while maintaining scalable, high-performance systems.
YellowBet: Pan-African Sportsbook & iGaming Brand
Within the B2Tech ecosystem, YellowBet operates as a pan-African sportsbook and iGaming brand powered by B2Tech’s proprietary platform. Centralized control ensures performance, reporting, and regulatory compliance at a group level, while maintaining market-specific flexibility to provide tailored betting experiences. Learn more: yellowbet.com
Africa Bet Partners: Structured Affiliate Program
The Africa Bet Partners program supports affiliate acquisition across regulated African markets with defined commission models, reporting transparency, and localized promotional alignment. This enables affiliates to access regulated markets in a controlled and compliant manner. More info: africabetpartners.com
PayAlo: Embedded Payments Infrastructure
Integrated payments are delivered via PayAlo, embedded in B2Tech’s platform and compatible with API integrations for third-party platforms. PayAlo supports deposits and withdrawals across jurisdictions while ensuring compliance, synchronized reporting, and unified transaction monitoring.
SiGMA Africa 2026 Presence
At Booth 73, attendees can meet B2Tech’s leadership team to discuss platform architecture, market expansion, and ecosystem development, and learn how a centralized, integrated platform model supports regulatory compliance and sustainable operations.
About B2Tech
B2Tech is a technology provider specializing in sportsbook and casino platform solutions for regulated African markets. B2Tech empowers licensed operators with scalable, compliant technology, enabling growth across multiple markets under a single unified management system.
Contact
Norman Itumo Nthiwa
B2Tech Communications
[email protected]
The post B2Tech to Present at SiGMA Africa 2026 in Cape Town, Showcasing Its Integrated Betting Ecosystem appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Atlaslive, a leading B2B iGaming platform provider, has been shortlisted in five categories at the GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026. The awards are part of the HIPTHER Prague Summit, scheduled for March 24–25, 2026, in Prague, Czech Republic.
The company has been nominated in the following categories:
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Best Online Casino Provider in CEE
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Online Casino Innovator of the Year (CEE)
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Best iGaming Platform Provider (PAM) in CEE
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Best Live Casino Provider in CEE
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Best Sports Betting Provider in CEE
These nominations highlight Atlaslive’s presence across platform infrastructure, live casino solutions, sportsbook operations, and product development.
Anastasiia Poltavets, CMO at Atlaslive, said:
“This recognition across five categories reflects the breadth of our platform. We focus on building infrastructure that performs under scale, supports multi-vertical growth, and adapts to evolving regulatory standards. Being shortlisted in both casino and sportsbook categories confirms that our approach delivers measurable impact across the full iGaming ecosystem.”
The GamingTECH CEE Awards spotlight innovation, operational performance, and leadership within the Central and Eastern European gaming and technology sector, recognizing companies contributing to platform development and service quality across regulated markets. Online voting is now open, and industry peers can cast their vote via the official GamingTECH CEE Awards page. Winners will be revealed during the awards ceremony at the HIPTHER Prague Summit in March.
Atlaslive continues to develop scalable, performance-focused iGaming infrastructure for operators across regulated markets.
About Atlaslive
Atlaslive is an iGaming platform provider delivering a dynamic platform for live operations and regulated growth. Casino, Sportsbook, and unified All-in-One solutions are available via White Label, Turnkey, and API integration models, enabling operators to launch faster, scale confidently, and retain full control over their business and growth strategy.
The post Atlaslive Shortlisted in Five Categories at GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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